September 23, 1998
National Experts to Take Part in Middlebury College
Alcohol Symposium Sept. 30-Oct. 8
Tackling topics ranging from common misperceptions
of college student drinking to the media’s “selling of addiction”
to the college population, a symposium on alcohol at Middlebury
College will take place from Sept. 30-Oct. 8. All events are free
and open to the public.
According to symposium organizer Yonna McShane, Middlebury
College director of health/wellness education, “Alcohol is
an important issue that involves everyone in the community-both
the college and the town. We’ve tried to look at it from many
sides by inviting experts on a wide range of topics, such as athletes
with substance abuse issues, the needs of the gay community, and
drinking among young adults in Vermont.”
“We want to educate, dispel myths, and, in particular,
to involve both the campus and the public in discussions about
alcohol and its impact,” added McShane. “There
is a new initiative in the State of Vermont for community coalition
building in addressing alcohol issues andour event is in step
with this effort.”
The symposium begins on Sept. 30 from 4:15-5:30 p.m.
with a panel discussion, “Middlebury Alumni Share Their Expertise,”
featuring experts on alcohol prevention, intervention and recovery.
The panelists include Dr. Jan Carney, director of the Vermont
Health Department, who will discuss statistics specific to Vermont,
which leads the nation in per capita teenage alcohol-related car
accidents.
Other alumni panelists are Guy Kettelhack, who has
written extensively on the topic of recovery-particularly in the
gay community-for the Hazelden Foundation, a leading national
alcohol foundation devoted to treatment, intervention and education;
Robin Harris, director of the Athletic Health Enhancement Program
at the University of Massachusetts, who has worked extensively
with college athletes with substance abuse issues; and John Coffin,
director of Out Patient Adult Services at the Howard Center for
Human Services in Burlington, who has many years of experience
in the acute and long term treatment of alcohol abuse and alcoholism.
Following the panel discussion there will be break-out
discussion groups from 5:30-6:15 p.m. A panelist will lead each
group.
On Oct.1, the symposium continues with two lectures.
At 4:15 p.m., Guy Kettelhack will give a talk entitled “When
Jekyll Dances with Hyde-A New Look at Getting High.” A recovery
expert, Kettelhack will focus on spirituality and recovery.
At 7:30 p.m., Dr. Wes Perkins will give a talk entitled
“Misperception of College Student Drinking Norms: The Reign
of Error.” Perkins will discuss how incoming college students
often drink excessively in part because they consistently overestimate
the amount of drinking that takes place on campus, therefore perpetuating
the drinking cycle. A professor at Hobart College and a nationally
recognized expert, Perkins will discuss his research as well as
the impact of social influence on college student drinking, offering
practical strategies for addressing these issues.
On Oct. 7 at 4:15 p.m., Dr. Gerald Garrett’s talk
will be entitled “Faculty as a Critical Link in Alcohol Prevention
Strategies.” A member of the department of
sociology at the University of Massachusetts, Garrett is the director
of alcohol and substance abuse studies.
Closing the symposium on Oct. 8 at 7:30 p.m., Dr.
Jean Kilbourne, an internationally recognized expert on alcohol
and the media, will give a talk entitled “Under the Influence:
The Selling of Addiction.” Accompanied by a slide show, her
talk will focus on the media’s “selling of addiction”
to the college population in the United States, and is particularly
relevant to high school students. She has spoken at Middlebury
College in the past to standing-room-only audiences. A reception
will follow at 9:15 p.m.
All events, except the Kilbourne lecture and reception,
will take place in the main social space of McCullough Student
Center on Old Chapel Road, off South Main Street (Route 30). The
Kilbourne lecture will take place in Mead Chapel on Hepburn Road
off College Street (Route 125). The Kilbourne reception will be
in the Redfield Proctor Room on the second floor of Proctor Hall
across Hepburn road from Mead Chapel. Contact Yonna McShane of
health/wellness education at Middlebury College at 802-443-5141
for more information.
Schedule of Events:
Wednesday, Sept. 30
4:15 - 5:30 p.m. “A
Panel of Alcohol Experts: Middlebury Alumni Share Their Expertise”
will be held in McCullough Student Center on Old Chapel Road
off South Main Street (Route 30). A panel of Middlebury alumni
who are experts on the topic of alcohol prevention, intervention
and recovery includes: Dr. Jan Carney ‘76, director of the Vermont
Health Department; Mr. Guy Kettelhack ‘73, writer on the topic
of recovery for the Hazelden Foundation; Ms. Robin Harris ‘84,
director of the Athletic Health Enhancement Program at the University
of Massachusetts; Mr. John Coffin ‘67, director of Out Patient
Adult Services at the Howard Center for Human Services.
5:30 - 6:15 p.m. Discussion
groups will be held in McCullough Student Center on Old Chapel
Road off South Main Street (Route 30). Following the panel discussion
there will be break-out discussion groups. Each group will be
led by a panelist.
Thursday, Oct. 1
4:15 p.m. “When Jekyll
Dances with Hyde-A New Look at Getting High” will be held
in McCullough Student Center on Old Chapel Road off South Main
Street (Route 30). Mr. Guy Kettelhack, writer on the topic of
recovery for the Hazelden Foundation.
7:30 p.m. “Misperception
of College Student Drinking Norms: The Reign of Error”
will be held in McCullough Student Center on Old Chapel Road
off South Main Street (Route 30). Dr. Wes Perkins, professor at
Hobart College and a nationally recognized expert on the impact
of misperceived norms on college drinking.
Wednesday, Oct. 7
4:15 p.m. “Faculty
as a Critical Link in Alcohol Prevention Strategies” will
be held in McCullough Student Center on Old Chapel Road off South
Main Street (Route 30). Dr. Gerald Garrett, director of Alcohol
and Substance Abuse Studies and a member of the department of
sociology at University of Massachusetts’ Boston campus.
Thursday, Oct. 8
7:30 p.m. “Under
the Influence: The Selling of Addiction” will be held in
Mead Chapel on Hepburn Road off College Street (Route 125). Dr.
Jean Kilbourne, an internationally recognized expert on alcohol
and the media.
9:15 p.m. Reception and
discussion with Dr. Kilbourne will be held in Redfield Proctor
Room of Proctor Hall on Hepburn Road, off College Street (Route
125).
The public is invited to attend all symposium events,
which are free of charge. Contact Yonna McShane of health/wellness
education at Middlebury College at 802-443-5141 for more information.